Road Rangers to the Rescue

Starting Monday, drivers who are broken down or out of gas along I-95 in the Treasure Coast can get help.

Road rangers are out and about there and patrol 156 miles of highway in total from Miami-Dade to Indian River Counties.

Adrian Ortiz headed out Monday morning to start ptrolling the coast along I95.

It's the first time the road rangers have ever been in Martin, Saint Lucie and Indian River Counties.

"It is exciting. It is new. It is for me. This is, it's different and we like helping people and that's what we're here to do and that's what we want to do," said Ortiz.

Nine drivers will be in different parts of the treasure Coast.

They'll be looking for vehicles on the side fo the road, debris on the highway, crashes and stranded drivers.

"Treasure coast traffic is becoming busier and busier and it leads into the major markets in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami and 95 is a major route throughout the state. This is a way for us to proactively help manage incidents on 95," Ortiz added.

Ortiz explained some of the tools which help him do that.

"We have the shovels to pick up any debris. We have these huge box cutters, in case we need to break soemthing open. What we have also in these compartments, we have diesel, the other side we have water, gasoline."

Aside from helping with flat tires, dead batteries, and empty gas tanks, road rangers also help control and detour traffic after an accident--- freeing up Florida Hihgway Patrol troopers.

Florida Department of transportation officials say the new road rangers will be a benefit to drivers along the extra 71 miles of highway in the Treasure Coast.

If you need help from the road rangers, all you have to do is dial (800) STARFHP.

In the Treasure Coast, they are available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.